Ideas & Tips

To bear with the Sydney public transport, I’ve become a big fan of podcasts. I only found podcasts a few months ago, and at the moment I listen to them almost daily. They seem to be a trending thing all around the world so it’s easy to find good ones on so many different topics. I’m also wanting to start recording my own podcast at some point but at the moment it’s just an idea.

Anyways, I thought I could share my favourite ones with you. Maybe you already are listening to some of these but I’m happy if you find even one new podcast to try.

Interesting stories behind some of the best-known companies in the world. For example Joe Gebbia, the founder of Airbnb, tells Guy about his struggles trying to convince people that accommodating strangers in your home could actually be a business idea. My favourite episodes besides Airbnb are Instagram, Virgin and Lululemon Athletica.

A podcast I just recently discovered. It’s a feminist podcast about what happens when women “break the rules” and the hosts talk about issues that people very often stay silent about. My favourite episodes so far are “How to Break the Bronze Ceiling” and “How to Break the Silence”. The first one is about a monumental gender gap and the second one about domestic abuse, specifically about a case in Melbourne a few years ago.

A Finnish podcast about anything you would talk about over afterwork drinks. I’d say that this podcast is my personal favourite because it’s in Finnish and it’s hilarious. I also like the fact that the hosts do their research on the topics beforehand and sound like they know what they are talking about. My favourite episodes are “Introvertti vs. Ekstrovertti”, “Riikinkukko tunkiolla ja muita suomalaisia” and “Parisuhde 2.0”. I can’t wait for the ladies to get back from their summer holiday already.

Another hilarious podcast in Finnish, sorry! The name says it all, this podcast is nonsense. But it’s also about (quite) important things that we often don’t speak about out loud, especially in the public. “Veriviikot & terapian tarpeessa” and “Jättekiva, eller hur?” have been my faves so far.

So if I counted right, we have 18 plants in the apartment. I think that’s quite a decent number. The only hard part is trying to remember to water them all accordingly 😀 But as a list loving person, I’ve written a list of all the real plants and their watering schedule, and it seems to work quite well since none of them has died yet. But just for the record, the crazy plant lady is not just me, it’s mostly my boyfriend. A whole new side of him that I’ve got to know after I moved here.

I must admit that our living room and bedroom start to look super good! My favourite part about this interior is the colours. The living room is what I would call very Scandinavian with neutral colours and lots of white, whereas the bedroom is very different with dark wood and darker colours. And that couch!! Not only is it gorgeous, but also it’s the most comfortable one ever.

If you ever got to see my home in Finland, you’d know it was all black and white. So it’s funny what this sunny climate has already done to me 😀 I’m especially obsessed with different shades of green and blue!

P.S. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my previous post and especially all you who messaged me afterwards. Means the world to me! This week has already been so much better for various reasons, and I’ve felt so much happiness!

Start every morning with a glass of warm water with juice of half a lemon squeezed in itThis gets your digestion working after a night. Lemon is also packed with vitamin C. To protect your teeth enamel, use a straw and prefer the reusable ones.

Take a bottle of water with you wherever you goIt’s much easier to stay hydrated if you always have water with you. To save the environment and prevent chemicals getting into your body, use a reusable glass bottle instead of plastic one.

Half a kilo a dayEvery Finn probably knows the “Puoli kiloa päivässä” slogan. Yes, you really should aim to at least half a kilo of veggies/fruits a day.

Eat or exercise as the first thing in the morningI try to keep this as my rule of thumb. Either one is the best way to get your metabolism going.

Remind yourself about a good posture
No matter if your sitting at your desk or waiting for a bus standing, pay attention to your posture. Sit bones down, hips forward, shoulders back and down, head up.

End every day by going through in your mind or writing down 3 things you’re grateful for that day
It doesn’t take that long and sure will make you feel better.

Stop and breathe
I mean breathe with all your lungs and see your tummy going up and down. Take at least 5 deep breaths daily. If you’re super stressed out or just working in a hectic environment, closing your eyes and breathing deep can make a big difference. Also, try to focus on just your breath and nothing else.

Take the stairs
It’s surprising how people tend to take the elevator to go up/down even one floor. Why? Walk!! It will make your blood flow a bit faster for a while and bring more oxygen to your brain.

Turn your phone to “Don’t disturb” or Flight mode for the night
This will help you sleep better and not to wake up to the noise or light. Flight mode/turning off your phone also reduces exposure to cell phone radiation (or radiofrequency energy) that can affect your brain.

I got an idea for a post about budget food shopping from one of my favorite food blogs. Because groceries are something we all need to spend money on, I decided to gather all my best tips on this post. Staying on a budget with food shopping is good for not only you but it can also help to reduce food waste.

1. Defining a budget

You really can’t stick to a budget if you don’t have one. To define one, you should first find out how much you spend on food shopping approximately on weekly and monthly basis. Try to figure out how often you eat out or get takeaway or pre-made dinners from a supermarket. And then figure out how much money you spend on everyday food shopping. This figure is most likely going to be higher if you buy a little bit of something everyday.

I usually transfer some money on a separate debit card that I use only for food shopping. That way it’s easier for me to track my budget and stay on it. For example last fall I tried to stay on a 150 euro monthly budget (plus I transferred 60 euros every moth on my student card which I paid my UniCafe lunches with).

2. Plan your meals and write a shopping list

I hate having to do multiple food shops every week so I much rather do just one big shop weekly. But it, of course, requires lots more planning. Before going to the shops I will have planned all my meals and know what I’m going to cook during the following days. And I will always have a shopping list with me since otherwise I’d always forget something. I know that if I forget something I have to go back to the shops and I’d probably end up buying lots of unnecessary and expensive stuff and some too many treats.

When you have planned your meals, you always know what you are going to cook and the likelihood of getting takeaway or eating out will be lower.

3. Meal prepping

Along with having to do multiple food shops every week, I hate having to cook everyday for myself. What works for me, is cooking lots of food at once, and as boring as it is, eating the same dish on multiple days. My favorite everyday dishes are nourishing, healthy and filling salads. I always have cooked quinoa and beans, feta cheese (or for example fried eggplant) as well as roasted veggies in my fridge. Those ingredients make a very yummy salad together with lettuce or kale and some tomatoes. Just toss some olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper on the top and you’re ready to go!

And how does meal prepping help you save money? Because when you have food ready to eat in your fridge, you’re less likely to spend money on expensive takeaways or premiered meals.

4. Go vegetarian

Or at least partly/mostly vegetarian. The most expensive part of an average person’s grocery shop bill is meat/fish so cutting down meat consumption will help you to reduce food expenses (and save the planet). Being a vegetarian does absolutely not mean replacing your meat with canned beans, in my opinion they are disgusting. Today we have so many vegetarian options in supermarkets and most of them are super yummy yet not too processed. However, the newest inventions can be quite expensive.

The best way to save money, and to make vegetarian food more delicious, is buying raw beans/chick peas/lentils. The only thing you have to do, is soaking them in water (not the lentils, though) for 8 hours and cook them for 10-60 minutes. My favorites are chick peas, mungbeans and red lentils but they definitely need to be cooked with a vegetable stock cube. You can add the cooked beans in salads, sauces and pasta or use them to make veggie steaks.

I could probably never be a vegan. I think eating wouldn’t be fun anymore since I can’t eat gluten either. But one thing I’m staying away as much as possible is dairy because too many research results show how it just isn’t good for humans.

5. Buy seasonal veggies

Especially in Finland and other countries where lots of vegetables are imported it’s important to favor the ones in season. During the fall months you can find so many locally produced vegetables very cheap. For example parsnips, beetroots and carrots are super yummy when they’re in season in Finland. However, a mistake that lot’s of people make, is always favoring locally produced vegetables. Now in the winter for example tomato and cucumber are super expensive but lots of people still buy them because they believe they are better than the imported ones. The problem is, that growing vegetables like these in freezing Finland requires so much electricity and natural resources, that it probably would be better for the environment to import them from warmer climates.

6. Treat yourself

Always have very small amounts of treats at home to stay sane. If you’re eating too restrictively, it will backfire. Be kind to yourself and let yourself enjoy life. Go eat out every once in a while or cook something a bit more special once a week. I couldn’t live without always having some dark chocolate in my drawer. Some other things I try to go for are avocado toasts, port wine and some super foods (for example chia seeds and green powders) that will last long.

It’s that time of the year again when Christmas gift ads are everywhere. Everyone is thinking about what to get to their loved ones, and people are expected to consume a lot during December. Too many times we just buy a gift for someone just because we feel like we have to and might not even put enough thought into it. And lots of times these gifts remain unused and just end up in the trash. I’d lie if I said I didn’t care about Christmas gifts, but I much rather receive something I actually need than something that will just stay in a box in the attic. It’s is the best feeling when you realise that the person who gives you the present has actually thought about you and what you would like. However, these gifts don’t always have to be material or anything new and fancy.

Online classes

There are so many online courses/classes for cooking, sports, photographing and so much more. Has your friend always wanted to learn how to edit pics on Photoshop but hasn’t been able to purchase it? Or is she/he into fitness but doesn’t really know where to start? There are so many apps/sites to choose from and in addition online classes are usually a lot cheaper than actual classes.

Second-hand/swapping

Do you have lots of stuff you never use or are about to throw away? Clothes? Shoes? Dishes? Books? You can always donate your old goods to charity or give fairly unused stuff to your friends as a gift. Of course you don’t want to give anyone dirty or super old clothes, but if you have something your friends like to borrow often and you rarely use, why not to give it to them as a gift. You can also swap gifts so that you both give something of your own to each other.

Dinner

Who doesn’t love fancy and delicious food? Dinners are always a great way to spend time together and make a normal day a bit more special. By putting a little more effort, time and thought into it, you can easily cook something more fancy yourself. Or if you just aren’t a chef, take your loved ones out for a dinner. You can give a pretty card as a Christmas gift to your friend and write on it when and where the dinner will take place.

Time

Sometimes we get so busy that we might go months without spending quality time with our friends/family. Even though time spent with them shouldn’t be a Christmas gift but a necessity, maybe you could organise a day that you will dedicate to your loved ones. Agree to spend that day without your phones and just focus on each others. And maybe you could do something fun and different together – for example go play tennis or attend a yoga class together.

Charity

I think everyone who’s reading this is in a privileged position compared to so many others in the world. Maybe this year you could make someone happy buy donating the money that you would put into their gift, to charity. In Finland you can do good for example here, here, here, and here.

No Christmas gifts at all

I know I’m such a party pooper but we all know that gifts aren’t the most important thing about Christmas. Of course they are part of the holiday but maybe you don’t have to buy something for everyone. If you have a tradition to buy something to everyone among your friends, maybe this year you could agree to just go out for drinks together.